


It's a rich man's world

by Alytori



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: A little bit of angst, F/M, I love ABBA, Rose and Doctor dance, Songfic, like actually dance, their songs inspire me so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29902143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alytori/pseuds/Alytori
Summary: "You wanted to dance, Rose Tyler! How can I deny you something so simple?" Doctor is all grins again. He's jumping like a three years old in a sugar rush. He's the one wiggling his fingers now and Rose just takes his hand with a small smile. She did want to dance with him, after all.***OrRose and Doctor dance with ABBA on the background. Rose thinks how relatable Money, Money, Money is. She is still getting used to the new, new Doctor
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	It's a rich man's world

The new, new Doctor was... different. He appeared and acted younger. He was... lighter somehow. This Doctor joked and laughed. He couldn't stay in one place for longer than one minute. But no matter how much he had changed on the outside everything in him still screamed "Doctor. That's Doctor" and Rose loved it.

They were sitting in the console room and Rose knew that their last adventure affected the Doctor more than he admitted. What did the thing in the Pit tell him? Rose just shook her head and stood up.

"Can you please turn on the music?" Rose asked softly. Doctor didn't even have time to answer her as ABBA's Dancing Queen started playing.

Rose loved this song. Her mom used to spend a lot of time listening to recordings of Pete's favourite songs. But unlike Rose, Jackie didn't like Money, Money, Money. "It's too relatable," she used to say.

Rose shakes her head, trying to stop thinking about her mother and their small flat on the Estates. Instead she smiles softly and wiggles her fingers. Doctor just sighs but doesn't move.

 _Her_ Doctor with big ears and leather jacket would refuse to dance with her. He would grumble about apes and their primitive traditions. It would take her several minutes of staring and biting her lip to make him agree to dance with her 

_This_ Doctor is much more...active. He is the one to lead her in a dance and that's why his reaction doesn't make any sense. She quirks her eyebrow, silently asking "What's wrong?'

"I'm still a little bit shaken after jumping into the Pit." he suddenly looks so vulnerable that Rose feels her heart break for him. "Maybe, you can dance alone? Did you know that physical exercises release endorphins, the hormones of happiness, Rose Tyler?" Rose doesn't have time to react as the Doctor is rambling about different hormones and how they affect humans. 

"Doctor," she touches his arm gently, making him look at her. "It's _okay_ if you don't want to dance with me. I don't want you to do something you are uncomfortable with. I can dance by myself."

Doctor stays silent for the next several minutes. Rose turns around, ready to leave, when the Doctor crushes her in a hug. Rose lets out a content sigh because hugging the Doctor always feels good. He smells like Time and Space and motor oil and dust. 

They are standing like that until the song changes and Money, Money, Money starts playing. The Doctor grins at her and leads to an open space.

"You wanted to dance, Rose Tyler! How can I deny you something so simple?" Doctor is all grins again. He's jumping like a three years old in a sugar rush. He's the one wiggling his fingers now and Rose just takes his hand with a small smile. She did want to dance with him, after all.

_I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay  
Ain't it sad  
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me_

Shopgirls don't have a big salary and Rose knew it firsthand. She worked hard, and her mother worked hard. But there still was a crippling fear of losing her job and their flat. She loved it no matter how crappy it was.

Unfortunately, it was almost impossible to get a high paying job without a formal education. And Rose had to pay a debt before thinking about her education.

 _"That's what you get for dropping out of school, girl."_ And Rose is tired of repeating that _yes, she knows that now_. She knows that she was young and irresponsible. She knows that dropping out was one of her biggest mistakes. But Rose also knew that it didn't make her important or worthy of good things (right?).

_In my dreams I have a plan  
If I got me a wealthy man  
I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball_

The thing is that almost every girl wants to marry a rich man. And Rose wanted it, too. She dreamed about meeting a young and handsome man with a thick wallet. But did she want a rich man or that particular type of security only money can offer? Did she want to buy expensive clothes and accessories or did she want to not worry about bills and whether or not her paycheck would be enough? Did she need a big villa or just a place she could call her own? 

_Money, money, money  
Must be funny  
In the rich man's world_

TARDIS had a lot of expensive things. Things that could make her feel rich and powerful. And the Doctor had a psychic paper that let them be whoever they wanted or needed to.

The Doctor shows her different planets that have their own holidays and festivals. They go to balls and high-end events.

But she felt like an imposter. She wasn't educated or sophisticated. _"Unlike Madame de Pompadour,"_ Rose thought bitterly and immediately felt ashamed. It wasn't the woman's fault the Doctor had liked her. Hating a girl because of jealousy isn't cool.

A man like that is hard to find but I can't get him off my mind

The Doctor wasn't a rich man in the usual understanding of wealth. He didn't own a successful company, wasn't a politician. He had no stable job ("I actually do, Rose Tyler!" he told her once. "I've been working with UNIT since my third body. They even pay me money!" Rose just smiled innocently and then asked why he hadn't paid for his chips.)

_So I must leave, I'll have to go_  
To Las Vegas or Monaco  
And win a fortune in a game, my life will never be the same 

Jackie Tyler would call the Doctor poor but for Rose he was the richest man in the entire Universe. He gave her stars and planets. He showed her the most breathtaking landscapes. He took her hand and turned her world around. Rose Tyler knew she would never be as existed as she was every time TARDIS landed. And in the end, his companionship was the most expensive and important thing she's ever been offered.

How can anything live up to Time And Relative Dimensions In Space? How can she find anything better than standing on an alien soil for the first time? How can she find anything better than Doctor's stories about everything in the Universe? 

Rose knows that there's a possibility that she will find something better one day. One day the Doctor will leave her on Earth and won't look back. It won't be his first time doing so, after all. Because that man, time lord, believes he knows what best for everyone. He runs and runs, leaving everyone dear behind. On most days Rose tends to ignore it but at night, when she can't sleep, Rose is scared. She doesn't want to be left behind, she doesn't want to have a "normal" life and beans on toast. 

"You should go to sleep, Rose. I know you are tired," Doctor says softly after she stifles another yawn. They untangle and Rose offers him a small smile. 

"Goodnight, Doctor." Rose doesn't go to her room immediately, lingers in the console room. She waits for him to say "there are nights or days on TARDIS, Rose Tyler" but he stays silent. Rose sighs softly and goes to her room. She was actually tired. She can deal with the aftermath of today's adventure tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to ABBA 24/7 when I started writing this. Maybe, I will add another chapter about Doctor thought with Dancing Queen in the background


End file.
